Tired Garstang Fall Short
Sat 4th Apr 2009, 03:00 PM
13 Garstang - Bury 25
Having been able to field a strong, settled squad for the past three games Garstang’s performances and results have improved dramatically. However, on Saturday the squad was again ravaged by injuries and unavailabilities. This meant that many people had to play out of position or come into the side at short notice and this ultimately proved to be the sides undoing.
The game started in the worst possible way for Garstang as they failed to deal with the kick off and put themselves under immediate pressure. Bury capitalised on this and rumbled their way over to make it 7-0. Things soon settled down and Garstang earnt a penalty which Paul Brown slotted through to get them back into the game (7-3).
The next score went to Bury as they scored another try to extend their lead to 12-3. As the break approached Garstang had two reasonable shouts for a try denied as they were twice deemed to have been held up over the line. There was time for a penalty kick from Paul Brown which kept them in touch (12-6).
Early in the second half Garstang found themselves in the lead. Kingsley Barker intercepted the ball and put a great pass out to Alistair Winkler who showed his pace and sped over the line under the posts (12-13).
At this point Garstang should have calmed the game down and built on their lead but they soon succumbed to Bury pressure and gave away a penalty which was kicked (15-13). Soon after this another try was scored and Bury were on the cusp of avenging their defeat at Hudson Park last December (20-13).
Towards the end Bury exploited the fact that Garstang were tiring, after having had to play in midweek, and sealed the win with another try (25-13).
After the game Captain John Robinson said “ We just had too many changes of personnel this week and we were unable to reach the level of performance which we have been doing of late. It is disappointing to lose but we still have one more home league game and the Lancashire Plate Semi-Final to look forward to.”
Team: Everest, Yardley, Miller, H.Jones, Corless, Grimshaw, Slater, Orr, Brown, K.Barker, Rigby, W.Barker, Winkler, Woods, Robinson. Replacements: T.Kenyon, Kelsall.
There is no 1st XV game over the Easter weekend but the team will be playing in the Vale of Lune Sevens tournament ON Sunday 12th April. Last year the side were runners-up so they will be hoping to go one better this time.
On Good Friday the Blues have a home league game against Burnley 2nd XV, K.O 15:00.
The match as reported by The Bury Times is as follows:
“Bury emerged worthy winners of an entertaining game, scoring two tries in each half.
They started excellently, when they were awarded a penalty choosing to kick for touch and then proceeded to lose the line-out.
From a resulting five-metre scrum, Bury’s prop won the ball against the head and Alex Isherwood, at number eight picked up and drove over the line, his score – converted from wide out by stand-off Ian Webb.
The visitors were then awarded a penalty, following a high Bury tackle, which they duly converted.
Garstang sent a high ball down field which was gathered by Bury full back Bernard Robinson, who made his way back up field to link with the pack and, following a driving maul by the forwards, scrum-half Rick Roberts went over for the 12th minute try, unconverted.
Bury failed to use their obvious pace advantage at three-quarters and played the game too tight.
Garstang closed the gap with a penalty after Bury were adjudged to have handled in the ruck.
Bury paid the penalty for naive play when defending their own line, choosing to throw the ball long across field which was then fumbled and picked up by the opposition who scored a converted try.
Bury started to stretch the Garstang cover, giving them a territorial advantage, in the last 15 minutes.
The hosts were awarded a penalty when Garstang entered the ruck from the side, Webb converting.
In a slick handling move, centre Harvey Leeming then slipped the ball to prop Lee Slingsby who drove for the line but was deemed held up.
From the resulting scrum Bury again stole the ball, Isherwood picked up from the base and cruised in for the try, unconverted.
Slingsby was again involved when Bury won good turnover ball and passed to Richard Green, who made the last 15 metres for the try and wrapped the game up.
Bury have no first team match this Saturday. Their last game of the season will be when they visit Littleborough on Saturday, April 18.”
Report courtesy of www.burytimes.co.uk |
